The Victors of the 75th Hunger Games
by katie.ked99
Summary: The story of each victor who goes into the 3rd Quarter Quell. First chapter has more details.
1. Chapter 1

Hello Readers!

A little A/N before we start.

So this is my second novel on the Hunger Games here on Fanfiction. I'm super excited to share this with you; I think you'll love it.

Summary:

You know some of the names of the tributes for the Quarter Quell. A few, namely Katniss and Peeta, well you know their story. But you don't really know everyone. This is the story of the glorious Victors, of the tributes of the 75th Hunger Games.

So now not every chapter will be written the same. Some, like Cashmere (who's also the first chapter of the story) will tell her/his games from the moment she/he arrives the arena until he/she is crowned Victor. Others will be told differently. Some will be told using flashbacks, some through the eyes of a loved one or through a Capitol citizen. There are lots of ways I'll tell the stories.

One last thing. Depending on the success of the other Victors, I may write something for Katniss and Peeta. There's already a fabulous book about how Peeta and Katniss won their Games, so I may try writing something completely new and different. But we'll have to wait and see. :)

But now, without further ado, I present to you: The Victors of the 75th Hunger Games.


	2. Chapter 2 - Cashmere Vallen

**Cashmere Vallen - District One Female Tribute**

"Let the 64th Annual Hunger Games begin in 60..59..58.." Claudius Templesmith says over the loudspeaker of the arena.

I look out around at my surroundings. To my left is a huge mountain that seems to go on for miles. To my right is a lake, and a good sized field. The Cornucopia is right in front of me, with its mouth gaping open full of dangerous weapons that I can't wait to get my hands on. There's food and other supplies as well, which we'll definitely need as I don't think there'll be another food source in the arena.

"30...29...28...27.."

I glance around searching for my allies. I find Spark, my other district tribute, a few tributes down to my right. We nod in agreement of our pre-spoken plan. We run to the Cornucopia, meet up with Libra and Leo from 2 and kill who we can during the bloodbath.

"10...9..8...7.."

" _Only a few seconds left"_ I think. I crouch down on my pedestal and prepare to run.

The gong sounds and I'm off. I make it to the Cornucopia seconds after Spark does. He grabs a knife and tosses it to me. "District 6 behind you" he says. I turn around and stab the girl from 6 in the heart. The canon sounds and I triumphantly pull my knife out. I hear two more cannons and turn to see Spark pulling his own knife out of the District 12 boy and I see Libra from 2 towering over the girl from 11 with her spear still stuck in her heart. They both run over to me and I see Leo in a distance fighting with another tribute, the boy from 7, I think.

"3 down." says Libra.

"Four actually." I say and point to Leo who is running to join us. He reaches us just as the cannon sounds.

"No time to talk, we're losing tributes." he says.

I look around to see that some of the tributes have indeed left their own pedestals and have made their way towards the are fighting each other, with a few dropping to their death every so often. Only a few still remain with the opportunity for us to kill them. I see the small frail girl from 12 hasn't even left her pedestal. Libra follows my eyes, sees that the girl is still there, and runs to make the kill. Spark and Leo go off to take care of the larger brute from 10 who's stupidly trying to grab some food from the Cornucopia. I glance around and see the girl from 3 running to the forest. She's close enough that I can hit her with a running start. I run for her, toss my knife and the cannon sounds promptly three seconds later. I go to retrieve my knife and any supplies she had and then return to the Cornucopia.

The other three return as well. I see they come back with only their weapons they used to make the kills. I know that those other tributes had something. At the very least a jacket we all were provided with upon entering. They should've grabbed everything those dead tributes had on them. We don't know what kind of tricks the Gamemakers could play on us. I start to speak up but decide not to. I know I'm smarter than them but now is not the time to show it. Especially when Spark seems very angry about how few we've killed. We sit down to discuss what's happened and what our next move is.

"Not as well as we could've done." says Spark.

"We got some kills in." says Leo.

"Yeah but mostly the weaker ones who would've died within the day. We only got one major competitor." replies Spark.

" _The boy from 10.",_ I think. He was big and he had a score of 9 so naturally we planned to take him out first. Our only other competition is the girl from 8. She's fierce and can handle a knife pretty well from what I gathered from training. I saw the way she threw each blade with ease. I want her dead. She's the only competitor who I'm worried could take away my victory. All the other tributes were average to say the least.

"We'll get the girl tonight." I say confidently.

"We better." says Spark.

The canons begin to sound and signal the end of the bloodbath. We walk to lake to fill up our canteens with water so the hovercrafts can pick up the bodies. As we walk, I count the number of canons I hear.

"13." says Libra.

"Same. 13." I say.

As we walk back to the Cornucopia we continue to discuss strategy plans and munch on some apples. We talk and strategize for a few hours and then as the darkness of night begins to descend upon the arena, 2 cannons sound and we all look towards the sky.

"Wonder who it was." says Leo.

"We'll know soon enough." says Spark.

As if on cue, the anthem of Panem begins to play and we look towards the sky to see the deceased.

First the girl from 3, girl from 4, then both from 5, both from 6, both from 7, both from 9, boy from 10, both from 11 and both from 12.

"Wow, 15 on the first day. That has to be a record." says Libra.

"Yeah but we didn't kill most of them. Let's see how many we can kill tonight." says Spark, grabbing his pack of knives. He stands and begins to go towards the mountain.

We quickly follow and head into the darkness.

We return around morning with only one fresh kill; the boy from 3. No one else bothered to take anything; probably because they assume we've got everything we need back at the Cornucopia. But I take the dead boy's jacket anyways; it is getting colder. I search his pack but he had was an empty canteen. It wasn't of much use to me or anyone else in my alliance since we have more canteens than we needed, so I left it on him. Better for the hovercraft to take it away from everyone than letting it help another tribute.

We head back to the Cornucopia and then Libra volunteers to take the first watch. Leo lays his head down and instantly falls asleep. I hesitate, because I'm still wary of Libra. But I trust Spark, he is from my district. He gives me a slight nod and I lay down. I'm only asleep for a few hours when the sound of hushed voices wakes me up. I open my eyes and hear Libra and Spark talking quietly behind me. I decide to listen in and pretend to stay asleep.

"He's weak. Yeah he can fight and he's good with a spear and stuff, but he's weak. He won't win. " says Libra.

I listen and try not to let the shocked gasp escape from my lips. _"What is she talking about? She's betraying Leo! She's betraying me!"_ I think as I glance towards a sleeping Leo a few feet away.

"Cashmere is stronger than Leo, but she isn't like us. She wants to win but not like we want to. She just wants to get back home to her family. She has that stupid brother or hers and then 2 younger sisters. She cares about them too much and it is going to affect her performance in these Games." says Spark.

" _What better reason is there for winning the Games than to get home to my family?"_ I think.

"How much longer should we stay with them?" asks Libra.

" _They're planning to leave the alliance."_ I realize. _"Or worse, they'll kill us while we're sleeping."_

"Let's give them until tomorrow night. Then I'll take the first watch. When they're good and asleep, we'll kill them and then take care of the rest of the tributes." says Spark.

I can't believe this. They're betraying us and only one day into the Games. My only way to get out is to kill them first. I glance around, looking for my knives. They're down by my knees. If I grab them quickly, I can kill Spark first, then Libra. Of course if I kill them, then I'll have to kill Leo too, but that was going to happen eventually anyways. I decide to go through with my plan, I start to reach for my knives when Libra speaks again:

"Can you watch now? I'm getting tired."

"Actually, I'm tired too. I'll wake Cashmere and tell her to watch." Spark says.

I instantly pretend to sleep again. Spark gently shakes my shoulder and it's all I can do not to punch him in the face. But I pretend that I'm being woken from a peaceful sleep, even though it kills me to do so.

"Hey. It's your turn to watch." he says.

I nod, grab my knives and glance at Libra. She's sound asleep. She's also laid down right next to the spot where I was sleeping. They've made this too easy. They're a lot dumber than I thought. _"I may not be the strongest one, but I'm sure not the dumbest."_ , I think, as Spark lays down in my old spot. I go and sit where she was and wait a few minutes until I'm sure they're asleep. Then I grab my 2 knives and stand over Spark and Libra.

"And now, it's your turn to die". I say as I plunge my knives into their hearts.

The cannons sound instantly and the noise awakens Leo from his sleep.

"What….what happened?" he asks nervously as he sees me standing over two dead bodies that used to be our allies.

"They were talking about betraying us. So I killed them. So now you're either with me, or against me. I can kill you just as easily as I did them. What do you want me to do?" I reply.

"Well now we're down to 6 tributes. Let's go kill four more and then it's down to us." he says.

I nod and we begin to pack up our supplies. We start walking towards the mountain with Leo a few steps ahead of me.I hope he's as dumb as Spark and Libra. He seems a bit too trusting of me, seeing I just killed our allies but he's still a good asset. I think about killing him right now, but I'd rather face the girl from 8 with an ally. Plus if she kills him in the process, then I kill her, it's a win-win.

We walk all day and find no one. We stop and rest the night in a small cave on the outside of the mountain. No doubt there are some tributes up there hiding, but we'll worry about that tomorrow. The anthem plays and shows only the faces of Spark and Libra and the boy from 3. We settle in for the night and I take the first watch and then wake Leo halfway through through the night for his turn. I shouldn't be this trusting but I think my threat of killing him earlier has scared him from doing anything. I know I could kill him in seconds and he knows it too.

The next few days are filled with us walking around the forest by the mountain. I hoping we come in contact with someone, these Games are getting boring.

We continue walking and make our way back to the little cave we found our first night away from the Cornucopia. Leo takes the first watch and before long morning arrives.

We wake before dawn and eat some of the leftover food we found in the Cornucopia for breakfast.

"We should look in the mountain. I bet there's more tributes up there." Leo says.

"Well… it looks kinda dangerous. We don't know what could be up there." I say

"Whatever or whoever is up there is no match for us. We'll kill them." Leo says confidently.

"You're right. We could kill anything up there. But I'm still not so sure. What if the Gamemakers are planning to do something to it?" I say.

He looks down at his shoes with defeat. He knows I'm right, the Games have been moving quickly. The first two days were full of death but these past four days have had no deaths at all. Nothing major has happened so no doubt the Gamemakers are planning something. And that giant mountain has the potential for many disasters.

"We'll wait and see what happens and then make a plan from there." I say and begin to head back to the forest to look for tributes.

"We'll wait and see what happens today." he says with force.

I turn around and glare at him.

"We'll see what happens today and then go to the mountain at dusk." he says again with more force than before.

This isn't good. He thinks he has all the power. I've been too kind to him. I need to show him that I'm the leader, not him. I weigh out my options. I can agree and look weak to him or I can stand up to him and possibly get killed. They way he's gripping his spear is frightening and I can see the thirst for blood in his eyes. Spark and Libra were wrong, he does want to win this and he will kill anyone who steps in his way.

Fortunately, I don't have to decide. I hear a cannon sound and some rustling behind Leo. Leo runs to stand by me and a few seconds later the pair from 8 step out of the trees.

"Well this is a surprise. Didn't expect to find you here, away from your precious Cornucopia." says the girl from 8.

"Well we aren't your usual tributes." I say.

We stand there facing another, team versus team. No one makes the first move.

"Well if you won't kill first I will. I'd like to go home." says the boy from 8 as he moves towards Leo trying to stab him with his knife. Leo is too quick for him though and moves out of the way knocking me to the ground in the process. I try to get up quickly but the girl from 8 sees this as an opportunity and lunges at me and tackles me to keep me down.

"Kill her Gloria! I'll get the boy!" yells the boy from 8 as he chases off after Leo, who has run deep into the woods.

"Oh I will. And I'll enjoy it." she says wickedly.

She's stronger than me and as much as I try, I can't seem to get the upper hand.

"Are you trying to beat me? You know you can't." she taunts.

We wrestle a bit more. I try to get a hold of my knife which is just a few inches from my hands. If I can get it, I can kill her. A cannon sounds and this distracts her. She loosens her grip on my wrists and I'm able to grab my knife. I take my opportunity and stab her in the stomach. She tumbles off me, clutching her wound but she's still able to fight. We stand and I lunge at her again. I stab her in the arm. She lunges right back, and I'm not quick enough. I yelp with pain as the knife pierces through my thigh. We keep going at each other, stabbing here and there, making small cuts. I keep listening for the canon to sound for either the boy from 8's or Leo's death but it doesn't come. Finally after five agonizingly long minutes filled with pain for both me and Gloria, a cannon sounds.

Gloria and I pause for a minute. We both know that now one of us is wounded and without an ally, but who it is, we don't know. I hear a whoop of victory and then the sound of someone running towards us. I don't know if I want it to be Leo who runs through from the trees or the boy from 8. Both just make it harder for me to win.

Leo leaps through the trees and lunges his spear towards Gloria. He stabs her in the back, her eyes roll forward. She falls down, the cannon sounds and she's gone.

Now I know, Libra and Spark were wrong about Leo. He will fight to win. And if that means killing me to win, he will.

"Thanks. You got the boy from 8?" I ask.

"Yeah, wasn't to hard to do." he replies

"So now it's just us and either the girl from 10 or the boy from 4." I say.

"Let's stick together until they die. Let our fight be the final showdown." he says.

I think about it. I could kill him. Right here, right now. But I'm wounded, and since the boy from 8 was easy to kill, he seems to have walked away from their fight without a scratch. I could risk it, but then I'd be in no shape to go up against the boy from 4, who judging by his ease with a sword in training could kill me. The girl from 10 is only 14 and she's small. I don't know how she's survived this long. Unfortunately, I don't know which one of them is still alive. I look up, and see that it's almost dusk. The anthem will play soon and I'll know who has died and who I'd be up against. My wounds aren't too severe and I can probably get into better shape by tonight, if I rest for a few hours. I'll be able to kill him then, I decide.

"Okay." , I reply, "Till it's just us."

We head back into the cave. I inspect my thigh. It isn't too deep, but it will probably get infected if I don't do anything. But hopefully, I'll be out of this stupid arena before that happens.

I eat few crackers from my pack and drink the Gloria's water I took from her pack. I look to see if Leo was smart enough to grab the huge pack the boy from 8 had on him but he didn't take it. _"He may have become bloodthirsty, but at least he hasn't become too smart."_ I think.

Leo looks like he's about to fall asleep when the anthem plays. I head outside to see who my other, final opponent is. I smile widely as I see the boy from 4's face in the sky. No doubt Gloria and her ally killed him. Now all I have left to do is kill Leo and the girl from 10 and I can go home. I'm about to walk in the cave when I see a small shadow in the distance. It looks like the shape of a girl. I smile and begin to walk towards her with my knife ready but I stop. If I kill her now, then I have to face Leo in that small cave or I run away into the woods with no supplies with a bloodthirsty Leo on my back. Or my other option. I could tell Leo I saw the girl, let him kill her and then while he's killing her, I could kill him. It's very very risky, but worth it. I'm in no shape to face Leo yet and if I catch him off guard while he's killing the girl, then he won't have time to fight back.

I run back to the cave where Leo is waiting outside for me. I am reminded of my thigh injury and I start to slow down as I near the cave.

"The boy from 4 is dead. I saw the girl from 10 a few yards away. She's close and we can catch her." I say.

"Well c'mon. Let's go." Leo says and takes off running.

I run too and I struggle to keep up. Fortunately the girl from 10 isn't fast and just as I reach Leo, the cannon sounds. I raise my knife, ready to strike when Leo turns around and pushes me backwards.

I stumble into a tree, shocked at Leo.

"I thought you might pull something like this Cashmere. You're smart, but not smart enough. And you're weak and wounded now. You won't be the Victor of these games. No matter how badly you want it." he says.

I don't respond. As he walks closer, I prepare myself. I think he'll strike my hurt thigh first, he'll try to wound me harder there before he tries anywhere else. It's an expected move, it's dumb and a beginner's move but it will be very effective if he succeeds. He comes closer and just as his knife comes swinging towards my thigh, I jump out of the way and turn around on him. He turns around surprised.

"Well you're smarter than I gave you credit for. But not strong enough to take me down. I will win this." he says.

He runs at me and lunges for me again. He strikes my arm and I cry out in pain and drop my knife. Before he can retreat though, I give him a good punch to the eye. He is so startled he drops his knife as well.

I stumble to pick up my knife but it's gone. I look to Leo's knife and see it vanish into the ground. _"Gamemakers"_ I think. _"They must want us to give them a real show."_

And I'll give them a great show.

I look to Leo. I now know he is weaponless because he left his spear back at the cave. He thinks I'm weaponless as well and says:

"Looks like we'll have to take care of this the old-fashioned way."

"Not quite." I say as I pull a spare knife from my inside jacket pocket. It's smaller than my regular one but still very useful. His eyes go wide with fear for a split second but then the retreat to their normal stance of want. A want for my blood. A want for the crown on his head. A want for the title of "Victor". Unfortunately, I'm not going to give that want any satisfaction.

"I'm going to go home. We both know I'm the stronger one. You can't win with that little knife. You're going to go home but not alive. You'll go home stone cold in a wooden coffin." he says tauntingly.

I tackle him to the ground and stab him a few times but miss the major arteries and organs.

"Looks like you're the one going home stone cold in a wooden coffin" I say as I plunge my knife through his heart.

"Congratulations to the Victor of the 64th Hunger Games, Cashmere Vallen of District One" says Claudius, his voice ringing through the now empty arena.

" _I'm going home."_ I think. _"I'm going home."_


	3. Chapter 3 - Gloss Vallen

**A/N:**

Before we start this chapter, I'm just going to warn you that towards the end, there is a very dark conversation between Simmer and Shimmer. (The story is told from Shimmer's viewpoint; a Capitolite citizen who is very excited for the Games). It's a mature conversation but I think it captures the entire essence of that Capitol's way of thinking towards the Games.

 **Gloss Vallen - District One Male Tribute**

"Darling, he is going to be absolutely fabulous! Don't you think?" I ask my sister as we walk back from the Tribute Parade.

"Oh most definitely! He is so gorgeous! I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other tributes drop dead just because of his looks! I cannot wait to see him in the Games." Simmer says.

The next few days pass by quickly. We watch Caesar and Claudius talk about this year's games, their hopes for the Tributes and mostly about the Careers. Gloss and his district partner have gathered the most interest. She's tall with flowing blonde hair. Her eyes are the exact color of a sapphire, which is quite fitting as that's her name. Sapphira and Gloss make quite a team. All the best Capitol magazines report them as "very close" and one even says "they're almost like brother and sister".

"This is so exciting! Gloss will get the highest score don't you think Shimmer?" my sister asks as we turn on our television to watch the scores.

"He will. No one can beat him." I say.

Caesar begins his introduction and then begins to announce the scores.

"Gloss Vallen with a score of 10." he says.

"Yay! This is great! That's a fabulous score!" I cheer.

"How wonderful! He's off to a great start for the Games!" cheers Simmer.

"C'mon, let's head down to The Blue Moon! Let's go!" I tell Simmer.

We don't bother to watch the rest of the scores. We leave our penthouse and head down to the Blue Moon. It's an old blue building, one of the first ever to be built for the Capitol. It used to be a restaurant but it's slowly turned into the place where the mentors go during the Hunger Games to get sponsors. Daddy said that Simmer and I were finally old enough to place our own bets on our favorites this year. It was part of our 18th birthday present.

"I'm so excited!" says Simmer as we wait in line to go in.

"It is very exciting." I agree.

We get in and look for the District 1 table. I spot it and hurry over. Simmer follows. We speak to the mentor, Davith Lansbury. He won 6 or 7 years ago.

"Have you come to sponsor one of my tributes?" he asks politely.

"Yes. We'd both like to sponsor Gloss." I answer.

"Of course. Now how much would you like to put forward?" he asks.

"I'll put 8000 down. How about you Shimmer?" Simmer asks.

"I'll do 8000 as well. Will that be enough?" I ask Davith.

"Well it is quite generous. I'm sure it will help out Gloss a lot in the Games." he answers.

"Fabulous!" I say. "If he needs more, just call us and we will be happy to donate." I say as I slip him a card with my phone number on it.

"Of course. Thank you so much ladies." Davith says as he moves on to the next potential sponsor.

"That was a rush! I can't wait to do this again! Let's go sponsor some more tributes!" Simmer says excitedly.

"No. If we sponsor more, then that decreases Gloss' chances. We can't let that happen. He is going to be the Victor." I say and pull Simmer out the door.

"I guess you're right" she says in a huff.

The next day goes by quickly. Gloss' interview was incredible. I was in the 5th row so I could see him perfectly. He was absolutely gorgeous. His voice was so deep, every word he said was so moving. I knew he was going to win.

During the bloodbath, Gloss killed 4 tributes by himself. Each time he pulled out his dagger from the next dead body, I cheered a small cheer of victory. _"He's one step closer to being the Victor."_ I thought.

His alliance is good, made up of him and Sapphira, the pair from 2 and the pair from 4. They're all talented with their own weapons and when they go hunting the first night, they make 2 more kills. They return to the Cornucopia only to find that all of their supplies have been taken. They can't see who did it. But I know. It's the large boy from 7, Mason is his name. He's hiding in the tree line with a few of their supplies but most of them he dumped in the lake while they were out hunting.

"He's brave. Brave for going up against such a valiant warrior like Gloss. But he'll pay soon. I know he will." I tell Simmer.

I turn back to the screen to see that Sapphira has noticed the boy at the tree line. She points and begins to yell obscenities to the others. Gloss grabs his dagger and an extra knife and chases towards him with his alliance following.

"GO! GO! GO!" yells Simmer.

Mason takes off. He's fast, very fast. I don't know how they'll catch him. He's zig zag-ing through the trees. Gloss and the alliance have split off. They're all going different directions trying to catch him. But Gloss is the one who continues to chase straight after Mason. Mason runs and trips over a log. But he regains himself in time. They keep running for a few hours with Gloss narrowly missing him a few times. Some of the other alliance members join Gloss at times, but each time Gloss yells "Try to corner him. But let me kill him" and shoos them away.

It's getting darker in the arena but Gloss doesn't seem phased. He keeps running at full speed, never stopping. I see Mason has stopped about 30 yards ahead of Gloss. He's faced with a giant rock wall that he knows he can't climb. He looks around panicked and tries to escape through the clearing to his left but as he runs, the girl from 4 corners him back. He runs to his right only to be met with the vicious face of the boy from 2 staring back at him.

"They've cornered him! But where's Gloss?" I wonder aloud.

At that moment, Gloss leaps through the trees ready to kill Mason. "Stand back." he orders his allies. They obey and Gloss walks up to the scared tribute from 7.

"You think you can get rid of my supplies and walk away unscathed?" he yells tauntingly.

"Well no I just… I just.." the boy begins to plead with Gloss.

"I don't care about what 'you just' or anything else you have to say. You tried to weaken me. But you failed." he says menacingly.

By this point, the boy is tackled up against the rock wall. Gloss towers over him and leans towards him and stabs the boy in the heart. The cannon sounds.

"It's done. Grab what he has and back to the Cornucopia." he says.

His alliance obeys. All except for the girl from 4. She speaks as loud as she dares and says "Maybe we shouldn't go back. The boy got rid of our stuff. What do we have left?"

"Are you defying me?" Gloss asks.

"No, she's just stating a simple fact." says the boy from 4, defending his partner.

"Yeah, Seaa was just stating what we're all thinking. There's nothing to go back to. Might as well continue to hunt in the woods. We can make a few more kills and then plan from there." says the girl from 2.

"I make the plans. I'm your leader." says Gloss.

"We never picked a leader. We're all working together." says the girl from 2.

"Not anymore, we're not." says Gloss and he stabs Seea to death with his knife.

The boy from 4 jumps onto Gloss as the cannon sounds.

"How dare you kill her! You had no right! She was your ally! You just killed her!" the boy yells as he tries to kill Gloss.

This provokes the rest of the alliance to fight as well. Sapphira begins to fight the girl from 2. As the fights begin to escalate no one notices that the boy from 2 runs away.

"What is he doing?" asks Simmer.

I don't answer. I'm too involved watching the screen. Gloss has thrown the boy off his back, breaking the boy's arm. He stands up and tries to attack Gloss with his knife but before he can Gloss stabs him in the other arm. The boy continues to try and stab Gloss but Gloss stabs back quicker and easier. Within seconds, the boy from 4 drops to the ground dead.

The girls are still fighting not caring that a cannon has sounded. Sapphira has climbed a tree and is sitting high up throwing knives down to the girl from 2 as she climbs. The girl has good reflexes and dodges each knife with ease and she climbs. Then Sapphira pulls out her last knife and throws it with all her strength. The girl isn't quick enough this time and the knife sinks deep into her shoulder causing her to fall down to the ground, where Gloss is waiting to finish her off. He does and Sapphira scurries down the tree.

"Hey where's Niro?" she asks.

"I don't know. But let's find him." Gloss says.

The pair chases off after Niro. All thoughts of returning to the Cornucopia seemed to have vanished from Gloss' mind. They search all night but don't find him. The next day, only two cannons sound, but not from the hands of Gloss and Sapphira. They weren't spectacular deaths at all. The pair from 11 died from lack of food and water. That night after the anthem plays, Gloss and Sapphira discuss their next move.

"There's only 8 left. You, me, Niro and the pair from 3 and the girl from 7 and the ones from 9." Sapphira says.

Sapphira falls over from the tree stump she was sitting on. When she hits the ground, there's an arrow in her back. Gloss looks up to see the girl from 7 stepping out from the trees with her bow in her hand.

"7 actually" she says.

The girl says nothing else because Gloss throws his knife at her and hits her in the heart. The cannon sounds for her death and Gloss runs over to Sapphira. She isn't dead yet, but her breathing is slowing down.

"Sapphira! Stay with me!" Gloss says as tears begin to fall from his eyes.

"Can't." she says quietly.

"You have to! You have to stay!" Gloss says.

"Gloss. You have to win." she says slowly and closes her eyes.

"I will. I'll win for you" he says as the cannon sounds.

"Shimmer, bring me more tissues! And mascara! Its running!" Simmer says.

I do and she begins to re-apply.

"That was one of the most touching scenes in the Games. I mean, I hate that she had to die, but Gloss was just….just...so…. so moving." she says.

"Mhmm. Now it's only down to 6 tributes. I'm sure he'll win." I say confidently.

"How? He has no food! Sapphira was eating their last ounce of food before she died!" Simmer wails.

"Simmer, we sponsored him, remember? I'm sure Davith will give him a good meal to get his strength up!" I say.

As if by magic, the beep of a sponsor's gift fills the room. We look at the screen and see that Davith has indeed provided a hearty meal for Gloss. Gloss hungrily attacks it and then falls asleep under some trees. He awakens to the sound of two cannons. The camera switches to the pair from 3 being eaten by a mutt some 50 yards from Gloss. The mutt seems to sense he's close to another body and begins to run in the direction of Gloss. All across the arena, the remaining tributes are running from the mutts. They're all going in the direction of the Cornucopia.

"This is it! This is the final showdown!" screams Simmer.

We lean in towards the screen to see Niro and Gloss reaching the Cornucopia at the same time. The pair from 9 reach it seconds after, though the girl falls prey to the mutts. The boy runs for his life, straight into the hands of Niro, who breaks his neck in seconds. The cannons sound for their deaths and that seems to signal the mutts back to the forest.

"Well well well. Looks like it's down to us." says Niro.

"Looks like it." says Gloss.

Their hands tighten around their weapons and they start to circle each other. Niro raises his spear and begins to charge towards Gloss.

 **One Week Later**

I sit in the very same spot I did three weeks ago while watching the tribute interviews. Now though, there's only one tribute onstage, but he's not a tribute anymore, he's a Victor! I'm still screaming his name in complete awe. Simmer is doing the same next to me. We listen as Gloss cordially answers all of Caesar's questions and scream with delight when they show the playback of the Games.

One week later, my friend Telease tells me that since Gloss was so desireable, President Snow is making him available for purchase. That very evening, I go and make my first Victor purchase.

"I'll be the first person to have him" I tell Simmer.

"Oh you're so lucky!" she says.

"When do you get him?" she asks.

"When he comes for his Victory tour. The night of the Capitol party at the Presidential mansion. I don't know how I'll be able to wait that long though. It's going to be very hard." I reply.

"But i'm sure that he will be worth the wait." she assures me.

I smile in agreement.


	4. Chapter 4 - Enobaria Truskett

**A/N:**

 **I just wanted to say that I'm super sorry that I haven't been updating much. I did that for 2 reasons. 1) I've been super busy which seems to be every author's excuse. 2) This chapter was really hard to write because at the end, someone most of you know comes in to Enobaria's life and I wanted to do him justice. He seems changed, and I think that's mostly because of a certain girl who played with fire. (Hint Hint) Any way, enjoy the chapter. I'll try to start writing Brutus' chapter tomorrow and get it updated by next Sunday.**

 **Oh, and the next Victor after Brutus will be Wiress from District 3. I already know my story for her (and actually most of it is already written because I've had Wiress' story written for a while, but I'm gonna tweak it a bit) but I want your opinion on which viewpoint her story will be told from!**

 **Chapter Three - Enobaria Truskett**

"Well you're certainly fast, Enobaria. I'm sure that'll get you somewhere in the arena." says Lyme.

We're all gathered in the main car on the train, watching the recaps. District 2 was just shown, and everyone who hadn't already seen it saw how I raced towards the stage, eager to proclaim myself as tribute. I felt such joy and pride for my district in that moment when Clavius grabbed my arm from the crowd of girls forming at the stage. I knew I was going to win. And I still know that now. I don't want to win just because I see winning the Hunger Games as an honor. I want to win to show the Capitol that even they can't control their biggest supporters.

"She may be fast but she isn't strong. Look at me. I pulled myself up onstage. I made it known that I was going to be tribute. I didn't even try to get Clavius' approval." says my district counterpart, Merrick.

"And all the while being extremely rude and ignorant to protocol." mutters Clavius under his breath.

"Hush. That doesn't matter. Doesn't matter how you were chosen. Just matters that we get one of you out alive. Now , Lyme I want to take the boy. You get Enobaria. If you want to switch though, I'm all ears." says Brutus, our male mentor.

"No. That arrangement works fine for me." says Lyme.

"Boy. Get up. Let's go." says Brutus, motioning to Merrick.

"It's Merrick." he says.

"I'll care once you win. Now come on, get up." Thenner says.

They leave and Lyme gets up from her stool by the window and crosses to me. She sits and says

"Can you win?"

"Excuse me?"

"Can you win?" she repeats.

"Ummm yeah I can." I say.

"Okay. Well now that we know that you aren't confident in winning we'll get down to the basics." she says. "What are you good with?"

I'm so stunned by her comment that I struggle to come up with a response.

"I uhhhh I'm good with combat and good with a sword." I say.

"Okay. I can work with that. Practice your sword during training. Show them you're good with it. But don't do any hand to hand. Leave that for your private session with the Gamemakers. And in the arena, use combat as a last resort sort of thing." she says.

"Okay."

"Anything else? Weaknesses?" she asks.

"None?" I say.

"Okay so you have weaknesses. I'll try and figure them out but it'd be a lot better if you knew what they were and could just tell me." she says and gets up and walks out.

I sit there stunned. Lyme was nothing like I had imagined. This whole "winning" thing could be a lot harder than I thought.

"Close your mouth honey. No use looking like a fish. You aren't District 4 you know." Clavius says while filing his nails.

I shut my mouth, embarrassed. I had forgotten he was there.

"She may be blunt but she's right. She did win this thing. She knows what'll happen, or at least has a good idea of it." he says.

"I know but…" I try to say, but Clavius cuts me off.

"No buts. Just listen and you might win this thing. Goodness knows you couldn't do it by yourself." he says walking towards the door.

I whip my head around at that comment but he's gone. _"I'll show him"._ I think. _"I'll show them all that I can win this."_

 **One Week Later**

I dart off my pedestal as soon as the gong sounds the beginning of the 62nd Hunger Games. I run towards the Cornucopia. I grab the sword and turn around. The first body that greets my eyes is the small 15 year old boy from 8 who stupidly ran up to the Cornucopia thinking he could get something and survive. I stab my sword through his heart and he drops. I circle the Cornucopia, fighting anyone who isn't my ally, anyone who is in my way. When I come back around, I see the girl from 6 fighting Merrick and unfortunately for him, he's losing. I pause, debating if I should help or not. I could tear her from limb to limb in seconds and then I'd have Merrick, but he's dead weight to me. He has no use to me or my alliance. I glance over to Thisbe, my ally from 4 and see that she's watching Merrick and the girl from 6 as well. She glances at me and shakes her head. I know not to go help him, so I busy myself by taking care of the scared girl from 12 who still hasn't even left her pedestal.

A few hours later, the fighting ceases and what's left of my alliance and I make our way over to a large tree. It's desperately hot out as the Gamemakers decided to make our arena a hot grassy type of desert. A savannah I think they called it in school. The open plains surrounding the Cornucopia are huge and filled with very tall grass that goes almost up to my stomach. On my left, there's a small woodsy area, no doubt filled with stupid tributes that just wanted to get out of the bloodbath. We'll go there tonight and look for out next victims, I decide and announce this to my alliance which now consists of Ember and Malston from 1, myself, and Thisbe from 4. We lost Merrick and Clarkson from 4 during the bloodbath, but they were both dead weight. After I finish, we begin to discuss who all we think has died, when the canons sound.

"I heard 8." says Thisbe.

"I thought I heard 9." says Malston.

"Well whatever it is, they're dead so it doesn't matter now. We just need to focus on getting some more." I say and stand, heading to the small forest at the edge of the grassy plain.

The others follow me and we spend the rest of the afternoon killing 2 other tributes. When we arrive back at the Cornucopia just before the anthem plays, we're tired but satisfied. Ten faces show up in the sky and Thisbe turns to Malston with a triumphant look on her face.

We settle into sleep with Ember taking the first watch. Around 4 in the morning she wakes me for my turn. I stare out into the darkness of the arena wondering how long it will take for me to get out of here. Around 5 I notice a small rustling near the edge of the small forest. It's small but still noticeable. I stand and walk closer but I don't seem anything.

"I don't think there's anything there Enobaria." whispers Ember.

"Ember! What the heck? You scared me." I whisper back enraged.

"Sorry. The rustling woke me too. But I don't think its anything. If it is, it'll come out again." she says.

She walks back and I turn to follow but not before glancing around one more time.

We get back to the Cornucopia and Ember goes back to sleep. It's still my turn to watch so I sit back in my old spot. Morning arrives and we eat some breakfast provided from the food from the Cornucopia.

The day goes on particularly slow. The others don't feel like hunting so we stay by the Cornucopia all day, though my hands are itching to kill some more. We travel around the grassy plain, killing some antelope and zebra that cross through our path.

Three days pass and we've busied ourselves by taking our one more tribute; the boy from 12. How he even stayed alive so long I'll never know as he was the scrawniest child I've ever seen. 12 must really suck in terms of food. I bet the food he ate in the arena was probably more than he ever got in 12.

One week into the Games and we've taken down only one other tribute since the boy from 12. He was a simple kill really. We found him on the other side of the river early one morning. He was trying to get fresh water but Thisbe got him down so fast I doubt he had time to raise the water to his lips.

On day 13 of the 62nd Hunger Games, I take all of our canteens down to the small river and fill them up with water and when I return I find my alliance gone. I glance around and notice that another sponsor's gift has come while I was gone. I pick it up and read the note "Enjoy your new toy". I guess someone else got a new weapon and they all went to go try it out. I turn the note over and see that someone has written "We'll be back soon. You keep watch" on the note in berry juice.

"What the heck?" I say out loud.

" _Why would they leave me? They wouldn't do that. Especially since I had their water. They wouldn't leave without water. Unless….."_ I think….as my mind drifts over to the unexplainable creature I saw last night. I drop the note and grab my sword and begin running towards the area where I last saw the mysterious creature.

I reach the edge of the forest and look around. I don't see any signs of struggle or any signs of recent inhabitance. _"Where in the world are.."_ I think before I feel a sharp pain in my left arm. I turn and see no one. I pull out the painful object to see a dart. I turn it over in my hands but I don't notice anything abnormal about it. I drop it and walk a bit further into the small forest. I'm about twenty meters in when I feel another sharp pain coming from my left arm. I quickly yank it out but I stumble and fall against a nearby tree for support. I try to stand up but I loose my balance again. I give up and lean against the base of the tree. I look up and see three bodies walking towards me. At least, I think it's three bodies. It might be four but I'm not sure. They're coming closer and I can't tell who they are. More of the sharp pain enters my legs and my eyes close and I black out.

I wake to the sound of a canon and the low buzz of a hovercraft coming to retrieve the recently deceased. It's pitch black so it must be around midnight. I can't see anything. I try to feel around where I am and decide that I must still be in the forest based on the large amounts of sticks and leaves beneath my hands. I try to get up but I'm still a bit woozy from whatever knocked me out. I can't really remember anything except 3 or maybe 4 bodies walking towards me. I try to concentrate and remember but after 5 minutes I throw my hands up in frustration.

"Crap. You weren't supposed to wake up yet." says a rough voice.

I strain my head and try to see something, anything in the darkness but its pointless. I do know that the voice is coming closer because the volume is getting louder. The voice is still shouting profanities at me and repeatedly says "You weren't supposed to wake up yet."

I feel hands grab my arms and know that whatever was talking has gotten me now. I thrust my shoulders repeatedly trying to knock down the human, at least I think it's a human, but whoever it is keeps fighting back. I feel a body part brush against my mouth and bite down. The creature retreats and stands up next to me. I risk falling down again from dizziness and try to stand up. Fortunately, it seems all the poison or whatever it was has been working its way out of my system. I stand and push the other creature down hard.

"Huh. You obviously didn't get your full dosage." the voice says again.

I hear footsteps walking away. I feel the ground for my dropped sword, find it, and run after the footsteps. Whoever it was is really fast. As I chase after them, I notice that the arena seems to become less dark and more light. _"Must want a real show where their precious tributes can see each other."_ I think. I run faster, trying to catch my next victim.

We chase for what seems like hours. Whoever it is keeps running but I can never seem to catch him or her. Suddenly I can't hear the footsteps anymore. I slow down and stop. I know whoever it is, is close to me. They must be watching. And waiting to pounce on me.

"I know you're here. Come out and show me who you are." I say.

A figure steps out from behind the trees.

"Surprised to see me 2?" she says.

"6. Huh, never would've guessed." I say and clap tauntingly.

"That's the thing about you Careers. You don't think anyone could ever beat you. You're so cocky and think you're the best, the Capitol's little favorites. Well, us from the other districts aren't so happy. We get sucked into this little trap every year and none of us really ever make it. So I thought 'Why not show them up this year? Huh, why not instead of a precious happy little victor, let's give them someone who'll stand up to them. Someone who'll show them exactly what the Capitol really does. Exactly who you and anyone in the Capitol really is.' So I decided to do it. And lemme tell ya- its been great. You see, I was invisible during training. Someone who'd never even be considered to win the Games but not someone who was so weak they'd get killed first. So I learned what I could, especially about poison and grabbed a decent score from the Gamemakers. When we got into the arena, I had my district partner grab me a dart gun from the Cornucopia. Unfortunately that night, he had a little "accident" with my dart gun while I was testing out the darts that were filled with poison. Oops. Oh well, anyway I've slowly been taking you out, one by one. And now you're the last one. I've gotta say I was right when I decided to save you for last. You've been very fun these past few hours. And it will be much more fun to watch you die." she says.

"Nice plan." I say. "Unfortunately for you, there is one small detail that needs to be changed."

"Oh really? And uh, what is it?" she says.

"I'm going to have way more fun watching YOU die." I say as I lunge with her.

I grab her shoulders and push her down to the ground. I kick her stomach with my knees repeatedly. I release my hands from her shoulders and start to choke her. I'm getting a tight grip on her. I can see the life draining from her eyes. I smile wickedly when all of a sudden I see a hand reaching up out of the corner of my eye. I release her throat briefly and grab the poisoned dart that was insider her hand.

"Not gonna work anymore 6. How 'bout you learn some new tricks." I say.

"Okay. How 'bout this one?" she says and she kicks me off of her with her left leg. I tumble down to the ground beside her. She climbs on me and pins me down.

"Looks like my story is ending exactly the way I want it to." she says and pulls out a knife.

"Not quite." I say. I jab my mouth up to her neck. My teeth are bared and sink into her throat. I bite down as hard as I can and when I finally release, my mouth is full of her flesh. I bite down again on the other side and triumphantly release once I hear the cannon sound.

 **20 Years Later**

I'm standing on the stage as the rest of District 2 is beginning to wake up. I look around and see nothing proclaiming what today would've been. No prep teams decorating the stage. No Peacekeepers standing by the pens where the children would await hoping to be called to be a tribute. No ridiculous escort or a boring mayor giving a speech. Today would've been the Reaping for the 82nd Hunger Games had the Rebellion not ended them. I'm glad there are no more. There really shouldn't have been any Games in the first place. The Games were sadistic and sad really. Just another pathetic way that the Capitol owned us.

"Excuse me Miss. Looking for anything?"

I turn around and see a tall man standing behind me. He's wearing one of the new Peacekeeper uniforms. He has gray eyes with olive skin and brown hair. He looks to be in his early 40s.

"No. Just thinking." I say.

"You remember what today would've been too?"

I nod.

"It's a good thing that its not." I say.

"It is. Well, I should be going. Being the Head Peacekeeper of a District does not allow for a break from the job so… uhh it was nice talking to you…"

"Enobaria." I say.

"Enobaria. Wait as in Victor of the 62nd Games Enobaria? Or child of an obsessed Capitol fan Enobaria?"

"Victor of the 62nd Games Enobaria." I say coldly.

"Oh, you uhh got rid of your uhh.. teeth."

"Well, it wasn't my decision to get them in the first place. Another one of Snow's threats.. or as he said 'suggestions'."

"I see. You didn't get them by choice?" the tall man asks.

"No. After I won, so many people were crazy to uhh spend time with me, so Snow thought it would jack up my price. And it did. And after a few more drunken visits to the Capitol I had forgotten why I even volunteered in the first place."

"And why was that?"

"To show them that even their happiest of supporters were never really 'happy'".

"Well. Wouldn't have expected that from…. well you." he says.

"There's a lot you wouldn't expect about me." I say and turn to go.

"It seems so." he says.

"Well goodbye.. ummm…"

"Gale. Gale Hawthorne." he says.

"Gale. Goodbye Gale." I say and begin walking back home.

"Goodbye Enobaria." he says.


	5. Chapter 5 - Brutus Montgomery

**Chapter Four - Brutus Montgomery**

I stand there as I watch my son plunge his sword through the neck of the poor boy from District 3. My sweet, innocent boy who used to take his sisters for walks in the garden and return with big bouquets of flowers. Who used to help his younger classmates when they were struggling with subjects in school. Who only trained in the Academy because his father guilted him into it, but came home every night telling me over and over "I would never kill anyone the way they're training me to, Mom. I promise. I'm just doing this to make Dad proud of me.".

The wretched Capitol took my son and his innocence away from me, but most importantly, away from his own self.

"He's doing great, isn't he Andromeda? He's going to win for sure." says Clark, my husband.

"Oh yes." I say absentmindedly.

We continue to watch the bloodbath as Brutus and his allies kill tribute after tribute. I excuse myself after the fourth death and go to kitchen, busying myself with the task of fetching water and snacks for our small gathering of friends and family we have over. I bring out the food and set it on the table and resume my spot next to Clark.

"What happened while I was gone?" I ask cheerfully.

"Mommy, Brutus killed some more girls and boys. His friends did too. But some of them got away. I want Brutus to get them all dead so he can win." says Everett, my youngest son who is 6. He admires his older brother so much for going into the Games. I don't have the heart to tell him that it isn't an honor to participate.

"Oh, well thanks for updating me sweetie. I want Brutus to win too." I reply and then return my focus to the Games.

They show a map of the arena and the announcer, Claudius Templesmith, begins to describe this year's arena while they clean up the bodies from the bloodbath.

"We have an abandoned industrial city. Note the graying buildings with many broken windows. They are distributed throughout the arena. There are only 2 that pose no threat at all, but the others, while rich in food and supplies also house many fatal traps. Ooh, look! Janneya from District 8 is nearing one now. Let's see what happens." and the camera turns to Janneya. Fortunately for her, she has found one that doesn't hold any "fatal traps", but unfortunately, it doesn't hold any food or water either. But she seems to decide that it is a safe place to make her camp, and proceeds to use some abandoned boards and metal rods to close herself off into a small corner and then falls asleep.

Back at the Cornucopia, Brutus and his allies are rounding up their supplies. They have plenty of food and a good array of weapons. Once they've determined that they're set with supplies, they start to argue about what to do next. Two of them, Aurora from One and Terra from 4 say they should wait until nightfall to hunt, but Stone from One disagrees. He's ready to kill some more. Brutus warily hangs back with Amelia, his district partner. They've always been close friends, even though she's two years younger than him. It was heartbreaking at the Reaping, knowing that I was going to have to choose my own son over a young girl who has become so much like a daughter to me. But I will always choose Brutus. Even in this horrible situation they've both been thrust into, I still choose him.

"Oh enough already. Let's just go now for a little while and then we can go out again tonight." says Amelia in frustration and proceeds to walk along a half-paved path into the arena.

A few hours later, they return with Brutus leading the pack. They made one kill, the girl from 12 who was hiding behind a charred tree that ultimately didn't conceal her as well as she thought. The kids gather around a campfire and cook some of the meat that was left in a backpack at the Cornucopia, and have dinner. Just after the sun has set, Panem's anthem begins to play in the arena and faces begin to fill the sky. Both from 3, Kurt from 4, the girl from 6, both from 7 and the girl from 12. As soon as the girl from 12's face leaves the night sky, the group marches back into the forest, leaving Terra from 4 on guard. I don't want to see my son killing anyone else tonight and thankfully, Claudius announces that mandatory viewing has ended but the Games will still update live during the Capitol's regular programming.

"Alright Everett, time for bed. And you too, Clara. Let's go." I take my younger two children upstairs for bed and tuck them in, with promises to wake them up in anything exciting happens. I head back downstairs to find our house empty except for Clark and my other daughter, Sameera.

"I said that we were tired and were going to rest for the night but that they could come back to watch tomorrow after lunch. Is that okay, Mom?" asks Sameera.

"Yes, darling thank you." I reply.

Sameera heads upstairs to go watch tv on her television in her room and I once again resume my position next to Clark. We take turns napping on the couch off and on, watching different soap operas that the Capitol has to offer. Around one in the morning, during my awake shift, we get interrupted to learn that Amelia has killed the girl from 10, with the help of her allies. The screen return to the Games to show the poor little girl's death and for a few seconds I get a look of my dear son's face. The sweetness that once glowed in his eyes has now been replaced with a dark, deathly stare. His mouth is set in firm determination. His fists are clenched around his weapons and marches on with such purpose in his step that I barely recognise him.

I stare at the screen, dumbfounded. I wake Clark and fill him in on what has happened. He tells me to go to sleep and I gladly take the opportunity. I dream about Brutus and all the sweet memories I have of him. But then, the vision of him stabbing the boy from 3 fills my head, and my sweetest dreams become nightmares.

Nothing else happens during the night. The second day is quite uneventful. Well compared to past Games. The girl from 11 dies of dehydration, and the only known water source seems to come from the bottles that were in the packs left at the Cornucopia. For the tributes that didn't get one….I just hope they go quick.

That night, while the group is out hunting (they left Aurora from 1 on guard) they come face to face with another alliance. Made up of the tributes from 9 and the boy from 11. The tributes form 9 are both unnaturally large for their age and also seem to be quite skilled with weapons, given that they both got 8's in training. After a few seconds of shock, the fight begins. Stone fights with Rye, the boy from 11 and wounds him easily. He stumbles and Stone must think he's as good as dead, because he goes to help Brutus with the boy from 9. Terra and Amelia try to take on the girl from 9 but no matter how good they are, she's older, faster and stronger than them. She stabs Terra in the gut and Terra falls but not before cutting the girl's leg deeply with her knife.

"TERRA!" screams Amelia.

"Just keep fighting." whimpers Terra and then the cannon sounds.

"You're going to pay." says Amelia and she charges at the big girl with full force. They fight and almost seem to be somewhat evenly matched. But Amelia isn't very fast with reaction times and pays with many cuts along her arms and legs. They continue to try and kill each other and each one almost succeeds. Then a cannon sounds. Both girls look to see who it is. It's Rye, the boy from 11. He finally bled to death. The girl from 9 is so distraught with the death of her ally that she doesn't notice Amelia coming closer with her knife. Amelia charges and successfully hits the girl in a major artery it seems, because the blood starts to flow very quickly. Amelia continues to stab but no canon sounds. The Brutus walks over. For a split second, I see a glimpse of my old son, going to help someone in need. Even if it's in the sickening Games, he's still stopping his task to make sure the other person finished theirs. He walks over and helps Amelia finish her off and the cannon finally sounds. They get up notice that Stone and the boy from 9 are still fighting. With three against one it seems like an easy win, but none of them anticipate the young girl who's hiding in the trees with her makeshift bow and arrow. She moves swiftly into position and lets her arrow fly..fly straight into Amelia's heart. Amelia crashes down on the floor and Brutus immediately drops with her. He tries to save her, but the girl had such luck with her aim. As Brutus and Stone assess Amelia, the girl jumps from her perch and runs with the boy from 9 following closely behind. Stone jumps up and chases after them but ultimately can't find them and returns to Brutus who is still holding Amelia. The cannon has long since sounded, but Brutus doesn't seem to recognize it.

"Leave her. She's dead and we gotta get back to camp. Let's go." Stone says and yanks Brutus's arm away from Amelia. Brutus seems to have realized that he needs to go and slowly rises and leaves with Stone.

That night, Brutus takes his turn to guard while Stone and Aurora get some sleep. An hour into the night, when he's sure they're asleep, he gets up and moves a few yards away from his camp and begins to cry for Amelia. The cameras cut away, claiming that mandatory viewing is over, but they don't cut away quick enough. For a few seconds I get hope. Hope that my son is still my son. That he hasn't changed. That he has not become a monster who's only out for blood. That he is still my sweet sweet Brutus. I hold onto the hope for the rest of the night.

The next morning though, a tribute has unfortunately stumbled upon the group's camp and I watch as Brutus kills her. And when the hovercraft picks up the dead girl and carries her away, it takes a bit of my hope with it.

The Games continue and fights go on. Tributes die, most of them at the hands of the Careers. Most of them at the hands of Brutus. He has changed drastically. He's determined to kill everything he comes in contact with. He's barely keeping himself from killing his allies. He seems to be waiting for a certain moment to kill them. I'm right. 13 days after I found false hope with my now lost son, the group takes down their next-to-last enemy. They return to camp with Brutus once again taking guard. He kills them in their sleep and then moves on to take down his one last competitor.

I didn't realise it at the time, but the girl who plunged an arrow through Amelia's heart was Janneya from 8. Brutus seems to have wanted to wait for her. I think he wanted to kill her last. Turns out I was right. He found her in the very early morning of the 17th day of the Games. He caught her in a trap and has pinned her down. He starts a small monologue, about how this will be revenge for killing Amelia. How's he's waited for this moment. She stays strong through it all but dies very soon. The cannon sounds, but Brutus doesn't seem to hear it. He continues to stab her repeatedly with his sword. Claudius announces him the victor and he still doesn't stop. He just keeps stabbing her. And with each stab to Janneya's heart, its also a stab to my own. I know with each plunge into her heart that my little boy will never come back to me. He's gone. Gone to the Capitol. Gone to the Games. He has become one of them. He will never be my sweet little boy again. He is completely gone.


	6. Chapter 6 - Wiress Moore

**Chapter Five - Wiress Moore**

I sit with Peeta at his kitchen table, munching on some cheese buns, waiting for Haymitch to show up. He's late as usual.

Fifteen minutes later I hear the front door open and heavy steps follow through. Peeta rises to go greet our mentor, now my very possible district partner, and I follow. We greet him and then go to the living room where Peeta pulls out a tape.

"Tonight is Wiress' Games. The 52nd. What do you know about her, Haymitch?" asks Peeta.

"Old and crazy. Very sweet lady though." says Haymitch.

Peeta plugs in the tape and the logo of the 52nd Games comes up. We watch the Reaping. There are the usual Career tributes who volunteer in 1 and 2. When we get to District 3, the escort calls "Wiress Moore" and a short girl with long brown hair comes forward from the 16's section. She walks with no confidence but still has a certain sense of certainty about her. The escort calls up the boy tribute, a young boy named Tric Latier. He looks like he's only 10 years old though he comes from the 13's section.

"Haymitch, is the boy related to Beetee?" I ask.

"His cousin." he replies

I don't ask why. I know the poor boy was only pulled because of some sort of stunt that Beetee did after he won. I don't know what, but obviously Snow saw it as rebellion and had Beetee pay with his nephew's life.

We continue to watch the Reapings and Haymitch makes a few comments here and there about a tribute's skills or if the death was gruesome or not. Then we get to District 12. There's a different escort than Effie, a tall male with blue skin and gold dots all around his face. He reads the cards and calls Milla Haynie and Stuart Wright as the tributes. I can see Haymitch in the background with a determined look on his face. I glance over to the current Haymitch to see his setting down his second bottle. I don't stop him.

The tape moves on to the Tribute Parade where Wiress and Tric are dressed in all silver with lots of metal springs and wires coming out of them. It makes no sense to me and it makes no sense to the crowd either.

The video flashes forward to the scores. The Careers as usual get 10's and the girl from 2 gets a 12. Wiress gets a 7 and Tric gets a 4. Haymitch's tributes each get a 5.

The interviews begin. Wiress seems to be shy. Using short one word answers and not many facial expressions. Caesar helps her through it and manages her to get a small amount of applause as she walks off the stage.

The rest of tributes aren't very interesting. They use the same tactics that I've seen hundreds of times. The boy from 7 is funny, the girl from 8 is calm and sweet, the boy from 10 in tough and ready to fight. Both tributes from 12 are weak.

The screen then cuts to Day One of the Games. The arena is full of mountains. The cornucopia is set in a small rocky outcropping just underneath a cliff. There's snow on the mountains and it looks like that will be the only water source. The tributes are dressed in jumpsuits and it looks like it will provide a small amount of warmth. The countdown begins and the screen pans around to different tributes.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Haymitch leave. "Gettin another drink." he grumbles. I return my attention to the screen to see an explosion. The girl from 12 has stepped off her plate too early and was blown to bits. Her district partner could see everything and when the gong finally sounds, he runs to her pedastal and falls to his knees crying. Moments later his canon sounds and the boy from 4 walks away triumphantly.

Meanwhile, Wiress has left her pedastal. She sees a small knife a few hundred yards ahead and she's going for it. The boy from 8 is too. She reaches it first and then picks it up and slams it into his heart. She pulls it out in horror and runs away from the fighting without bothering to grab any other supplies. She finds a small hiding spot that should conceal her for a while.

After a few hours the bloodbath is still going on. Wiress moves from her spot and begins to climb. She's going at a good pace for someone who has most likely never seen mountains before. She walks all day only stopping every few hours to pause and look around for water or food but doesn't find any. Finally around sunset she has climbed high enough to a small rocky plain situated in between 2 mountains. She seems to deem it safe enough. She stays there for the rest of the Games.

Peeta and I continue to watch the Games. Tributes are killed and it finally comes down to Wiress and the boy from 4. The boy wanders around the arena and climbs up higher and higher. Wiress knows he's coming and has somehow used her situation to build a small avalanche. All she has to do is push a boulder out of the way at the exact moment and she can win. The boy from 4 has paused from exhaustion and has stopped halfway up to Wiress' hideout. He lays down to rest.

Wiress can't push the rock away because it won't hit him.

"She has to wait it out." Peeta says.

"You know the gamemakers are going to do something." I reply.

"Well sweetheart looks like you have half a brain after all." says Haymitch, leaning against the doorframe. "Just wait about thirty seconds."

The camera continues to pan from Wiress to the boy while Claudius Templesmith does a voiceover about the final two tributes. All of a sudden there's a rumble. The ground begins to shake. Wiress abandons all thoughts and instinctively begins to climb downward. The boy from 4 still sleeps soundlessly. Within minutes Wiress has reached the boy. She glances at him for a second and then continues down the mountain. She's going as fast as she can and the ground has begun to shake even more now. The camera returns to the boy. He's finally woken up and scrambles in a panic. He moves around trying to grab his supplies and weapons. Wiress continues to move downward. The snow begins to rush down the mountain. It gets faster and faster and Wiress never looks back. She just keeps moving.

Then, the trumpets sound and Wiress stops.

She looks up. The ground isn't shaking anymore. The sky is clear and the snow has seemed to stop peacefully on the mountain tops. Wiress glances around and her eyes see something. The camera follows but the boy from four is nowhere to be seen.

Claudius announces her as the winner and the hovercraft comes to retrieve her. I pause the video.

"What happened to the boy?" I ask Haymitch.

He nods at the screen and then gets up and leaves the room and I un-pause the video.

The video has moved on to the final interview.

"Well well well. What a fantastic Games. I don't think there's ever been something to chilling to the bone if you know what I mean." says Caesar. "And now let's welcome our newest victor from District 3, Wiress Moore."

Wiress walks over to Caesar and sits down and the interview begins.

"So Wiress how's it feel to be back?"

"Fine, thank you."

"Are you excited to be going home?"

"Yes".

"Tell us about your final moments in the arena. What went through your mind?"

"That I had won. But only because Rickk had to kil-.."

The video suddenly does a time jump to Caesar ushering Wiress offstage and then it shows her waving to a crowd in District 3 and then its over.

Peeta gets up and takes the tape out.

Haymitch saunters into the room.

"What happened?" Peeta asks.

"I need to go into town. Want to join me?" he asks and walks out.

Peeta and I exchange a glance then grab our coats and follow him. Obviously whatever Haymitch is going to answer Peeta with isn't meant to be said in our bug-infested home. We catch up to Haymitch and we walk in hushed voices.

"So what happened?" Peeta repeats.

"Rickk from 4 killed himself with his knife. Saw all the snow and rocks coming towards him. Knew if he even tried he'd never make it so he pulled out his knife and well…. you know what happens." Haymitch replies and takes a swig from his bottle.

"Okay but why did.." begins Peeta.

"Because it wasn't a huge sacrifice. He wasn't professing his undying love for someone so it wasn't deemed glorious. Capitol didn't like it so it didn't air. Took it out on Mags for not having a 'desirable, strong, tribute' as they said."

"What do you mean 'they took it out on Mags'?" I ask.

"Mags had to do an interview and defended Rickk. She knew that he wouldn't make it if he won. She knew Snow was planning for him to be the 'Finnick of his time' shall we say. So she told Rickk. Rickk said he'd make it to the final two and then make a mockery of the Capitol before killing himself. Except his planned 'mockery' didn't really go as planned. Then when Mags defended Rickk's actions on air, Snow saw it as rebellion. He reaped her best friend's daughter next year. She didn't come home."

"What did they do to Wiress?" I ask.

"Well if you're asking if she was deemed desirable, you're in luck sweetheart because no one wanted her. She went about her days and mentored tributes. Became best friends with Beetee and now only seems to know how to communicate with him. Hasn't brought a tribute home yet. That's her punishment from Snow." Haymitch replies.

"That's terrible." says Peeta.

"That's how it works." says Haymitch. "And if it weren't for this quell I'd think that you two would probably end up in the same 'no victor for 22 years predicament' as Wiress among other punishments from your good old friend Snow." Haymitch replies sarcastically.

Haymitch saunters off to town to buy some more beer from Ripper. After a while, Peeta heads home and then I follow him. While laying in bed that night I think about Wiress. I wonder if she'll be reaped. I wouldn't doubt it. The only other living female victor from 3 is no doubt in her 90's by now and I don't think has ever committed any crimes. Wiress will probably be in there with me.

 **Seven Months Later**

I stand there with my arrow pointed at Gloss' heart. He killed her. _He killed her! How dare he?_ She was my friend. The only real ally I even wanted in this arena besides Mags and Beetee. She was so smart. She knew what the arena was before anyone else. I think back to her Games and how she didn't have to fight. She only killed one person. She was so pure. So innocent. So much like… Rue. _Rue._ I angrily push the thought of my sweet friend Rue from the last Games into the back of my mind. It doesn't work. I'm suddenly transported to the moment of her death. How I didn't even hesitate to kill Marvel.

I don't hesitate now either.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, we're five chapters in so what do you think? Please leave a review! They really do motivate me to keep writing! Beetee is up next and then Mags. So excited for those two. Anyway, there's a new poll on profile so please go and vote on it and please please please review! :)**


	7. Chapter 7 - Beetee Latier

**Chapter Six - Beetee Latier**

"No. No. NO! He can't do that. He can't. It's not possible. No!" I yell as I watch the events unfold in front of me.

Beetee Latier, the weak, small nobody, 17 year old tribute from District 3 has just won the 41st Hunger Games.

My colleagues are all frantically scrambling around me. No one expected this. He wasn't supposed to win. The girl from 1, she was supposed to win. She was the fan-favorite. Stunningly beautiful, strong and cunning. She killed 5 tributes alone in the bloodbath, a record for her District. Now she's gone. They're all gone. Only two of the other tributes still have somewhat good vitals. The boy from 4 is doing better than the girl from 7 but not by much. The other four's canons have already gone off. They're all goners. Except for Beetee. He's standing alone basking in the glory of what he's done. He's just expectantly waiting for Claudius' voice to fill the arena and announce him the winner. He knows he's won.

"Adericuss, President Snow wishes to speak with you. Immediately." says Mariska, my assistant.

I get up and head to Snow's private viewing quarters. I tell Mariska to do whatever she can to keep Connor from 4 and Renee from 7 alive.

"President Snow, how lovely to see you." I begin.

"Adericuss. Do you remember our deal?" he questions.

"Yes."

"Is that so? It seems you have forgotten. You have allowed for Jewel to be killed by the low life from 3. Jewel was supposed to win. "

"Yes sir. I remember. We ran into some unexpected circumstances."

"Unexpected circumstances. I see."

"Yes well we still have two very promising tributes that could be revived and win. We'd have to prolong the Games of course but nothing too difficult. We'd.."

"These Games will end today. And the boy from 3 will win them. We can't revive the other tributes. They're barely holding on. If you try to revive them, it will look like the Games are rigged. And we can't have that."

"Yes sir."

"The boy from 3 is smart. How he managed to electrocute the remaining six tributes at once is incredible. He'll become very useful in the coming years. You, Adericuss, you however do not seem so useful to me anymore."

"Sir, I am very.."

"I don't want excuses. You me the girl from 1 would win. She is now dead. And the boy from 3 will win. I can't make money off of him Adericuss. The girl would've brought in a fortune. We are dipping dangerously low into out soon to be non-existent funds for the Games. We don't have the money anymore. And if we stop the Games, the districts will think they've won. And if they've won, then the Capitol will cease to exist. And we can't have that now can we?"

"No sir, we can't."

"Now this is what you're going to do. Because you broke your deal to me, I should have you executed. Right now. But you have one remaining chance left. I like you Adericuss. I do. You have a mind that is almost too cunning to let go."

"Thank you sir."

"I said almost. Now go back in there and announce the boy as the winner. The girl has died and the boy is very close to death as well. Then you have the week while he is in recovery to make him a star. Make the citizens of the Capitol want him. He needs to become a true victor, someone the citizens will want to spend time with. Make up stories do whatever you have to do. If you can do that, I won't execute you. No, but you will become my personal Avox. However, if you do not deliver I will execute you and your family."

"I won't disappoint sir."

"I hope so. You are dismissed."

I leave and walk back to the Games headquarters. My colleagues report that the girl from 7 has died and the boy from 4 could make a weak recovery.

"We'd have to kill Beetee in some way, but the boy from 4 could make it. It wouldn't look good, but I already have my assistants spinning his new story." says Mariska.

"No, kill him. Beetee will win. Zeus, go inform Claudius of the winner and Yvette, get a canon ready." I reply.

"Yes sir." they reply and run to their stations.

The next week is filled with interviews. I appear of Caesar's show twice, proclaiming how amazing Beetee is. How smart he is. How he will be the Victor to beat in terms of cunning smarts. I generate a bit of interest. I give numerous magazine interviews. But by the time Saturday rolls around, the day of Beetee's Victor interview, I know I'm a goner. I have a few pledges from his sponsors but the amount of money pledged could maybe buy two tributes outfits for the next Games.

That night after the interview, I take my wife on a walk. We walk through the Capitol, through gardens strolling on the Avenues until we finally reach the old abandoned liquor store at the end of 47th street. It burned down years ago and no one comes to this part of town anymore. I quickly check for bugs and find none.

"Adericuss, you're scaring me. Please tell me what's going on." Gwendalyn pleads.

"Gwendalyn, honey, I'm in trouble with the President. I messed up during these last Games. I don't know what will happen to me. I want you to run away. Take the children and run to a district. Go to 12, they won't suspect you there. Or 1 or 2, you will fit in. Find a new man to marry and take on a new name."

"Adericuss, darling, you're overeacting. President Snow is a good kind man. He won't do anything to hurt you. Try reasoning with him." she says.

"You don't know the real President Snow." I mutter.

"Adericuss, I've been married to you for 6 years and you've always been nervous when it comes to the President. I don't know why. He will never do anything wrong. I'm sure you're just overthinking it."

"No darling. I'm serious. Please.."

"You're just overeacting. Lets go home darling." she says and heads towards the door.

The next two days go on as normal. Nothing happens. Maybe I was wrong. I think as I crawl into bed.

The door crashes open. I throw Gwendalyn off the bed and onto the floor. Peacekeepers rush in with their guns pointed. Gwendalyn is screaming with fear and one of the Peacekeepers runs up and grabs her. He takes her to the wall and handcuffs her. She still screams.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Adericuss Debuntant. You have been charged with treason against the Capitol." the head Peacekeeper says.

"Treason? He hasn't committed treason. We're innocent. We've done nothing wrong." pleads Gwendalyn.

"Shut up." says Gwendalyn's captor.

"Don't speak to my wife that way!" I yell. I charge towards him ready to strike.

"One more step and she dies." says her captor. "I have orders to kill you both if you step out of line. I suggest you don't."

I stop. "What do you want?" I ask.

"Just come with us. " says the head peacekeeper.

I begin to scream again, but before I can the world goes black.

When I wake up, I'm lying on the floor. My hands are chained above my head to the floor. My forehead hurts. My arms hurt. Everything hurts. I'm not wearing anything but my underclothes and I can see blood. Lots of it. Dried on the floor around me. Dried on me. I try to talk but it hurts too much.

The metal door opens and the man begins to speak.

"Well Debuntant. You're awake. Just in time. Let's go."

He unchains me and yanks me up from the floor. I yelp in pain. He pushes me into a new room where 3 of the Games stylists are waiting for me.

"They're gonna fix you up. Sit down and stay quiet. No complaining. They're gonna make you nice and pretty for your date with the law." says the man. He shoves me down and leaves.

The stylists set to work. They don't speak except for the occasional "That won't go with your skintone" or "Maybe this shade instead.". Its silent from my end though.

After a few hours, they decide I'm presentable. They escort me to a small room with a stage at the back end. Its dark. They show me to my seat and I sit down. Then they leave the room and I'm left alone. After a few minutes, I hear footsteps. President Snow enters and walks towards me.

I rise to greet him, to beg for mercy but he stops me.

"No sit back down Adericuss."

I do as I'm told and he sits next to me. The lights come on stage and I see my wife trapped behind a glass wall of some sort. I can hear her but I know she's trying to scream.

"Gwendalyn! Gwendalyn!" I yell.

"She can't hear you Adericuss. Be quiet." the President says.

Some doctors begin to walk into the room behind the glass wall. They're bringing medical equipment and I suddenly know what they're planning to do to my wife.

"We talked to her and she knew nothing. She kept saying how sorry she was even though she didn't know what she had done. But I couldn't let her go home free of punishment. She was considered an accomplice. So she'll become an Avox."

"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! SHE'S DONE NOTHING WRONG!" I yell.

"That's how the world works, Adericuss." and he gets up and leaves. I try to jump up and follow but he's sent his peacekeepers on me and they sit me down and restrain me and force me to watch my wife become a slave to Snow.

It takes 7 hours before the surgery is complete. I have to watch all of it. I'm sure that they dragged it out to make it more painful for the both of us.

When they finally finish, Gwendalyn looks as though she's about to lose consciousness. My peacekeeper releases me and I rush to the glass wall. It suddenly dissolves into thin air. I reach my wife and hold her.

"You have five minutes. Make it quick." says the peacekeeper. And he leaves to go stand gaurd at the back of the room.

"Gwendalyn, I'm so sorry. I made a deal with Snow. If I rigged the Games so the girl from 1 to win this year, then he'd allow me to keep my position as Head Gamemaker for three more years. And we needed the money so I took it. But I messed up. That Beetee kid somehow worked his way around the system and won. I'm so sorry."

I begin to cry and so does Gwendalyn. She hugs me and slips me a note. I look at her and she holds her finger to her lips in a shushing motion. I can hear the peacekeeper returning and I stuff the note in my pocket. He grabs me a drags me out of the room to a new room. It looks like the District One suite in the Tribute Center. I'm thrown in the room and I hear the door lock. I sit down on the couch and open the note.

 _"Dear Adericuss,_

 _I don't know what is going to happen to you.. I know that you took a deal from Snow. I don't know the details but I know you did it to save our family. I love you Adericuss. I really truly do._

 _They took the children and put them in the room next to me. Then the next morning they took them and they never came back. They took our children and I think they killed them. They killed them! They've already told me that I'm to become an Avox. I know my fate now, and I've accepted it. My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I'm so sorry that I didn't listen to you that last night. I'm so so sorry._

 _I'll fight for our children and our freedom. I'll fight until I die. I see the Capitol and Snow they way you see it now. I understand._

 _Love, Gwendalyn."_

I quickly stuff the note into my pocket again and wander around the room. I wander for days. They don't bring me food, just a glass of water each day. I don't sleep. I just wander around aimlessly. After the 72 hours of solitude, the guard comes back and grabs me.

He takes me to the same room where I saw Gwendalyn become an Avox. Only this time, I'm on the other side of the wall and Gwendalyn is sitting in the audience next to Snow.

They stand me in the center of the stage and a new peacekeeper comes out. He holds a gun. The reads out a list of my crimes against the Capitol and then kicks me to the floor.

"Any last words?" he asks.

I shake my head no.

"Fine." and he lifts his gun.

* * *

 **A/N: So, this chapter doesn't really tell Beetee's story per se, because I feel like since he's such a pivotal character in the books, and since his Games tactics are mentioned frequently, I thought I'd write about the Capitol. How the Games can destroy them too, just in a completely different way. I'm thinking I may continue Adericuss' story as a whole book by itself, but I'm not sure yet. Anyway, please review review review! I love hearing them! And be sure to vote in the poll on my profile as well! I added Beetee since his chapter is now up! :)**


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